What do elite athletes contribute to society?

track chick wrote:

well, someone might go into plastic surgery in order to make lots of money, but actually contribute hugely to a number of people's lives, so it's a bit of a confusing area.

Fine. However, let's try defining the difference between give and take, and then applying it to the original question. A plastic surgeon is in practice to make money. They will perform the surgery, for a fee. The person having surgery will feel better when the surgery is a success and worse if the surgery is botched. The "active" contribution by the doctor is the same (the surgery). In either case, however, the motivation for the doctor was not to "contribute" to ther persons emotional state, it was to perform a job for a fee.

Given that a contribution should take an active role, what do elite athletes contribute to society?

Had the original question been "What affects do elite athletes have on society?", then a lot of the answers make more sense.

the thread is about elite athletes, not other professions. i don't believe athletics contributes very much to society, it is recreation. people who are lucky enough to make a living from sport are just that lucky. i am not entertained or inspired by athletes although i am certain some people are.

Paint me a Birmingham wrote:

Okay, here is a rant....From a female perspective, I see this situation a bit differently. I have personally considered the lifestyle of a full-time distance runner to be extremely narcissistic....They have such a one-dimensional lifestyle with nothing to fall back on if running falls through.

That's right, we should all live typical lives without having explored our own physical, human potential (hint of sarcasm here).

Who cares how one live's a very small part of what will likely be a long life! We're all going to die. Nothing to fall back on? Do you realize that 92.6% of the females at the 2004 Olympic Marathon Trials have a college degree(s) (as compared to the national average of 24.4%)?! I'd say elite athletes are a hell of a lot better off than the general population. I hope you will re-evaluate your perspective and consider the 'big picture' of life. Otherwise, I feel sorry for you.

Let's put aside bashing elite runners for their discipline or drive, which some may see as narcissic, which it probably is to a certain degree.

Steve Prefontaine once said, "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

Every day, I see that quote and focus a little bit more at work. He, or his quote - semantics aside - inspire me to contribute a bit more to society by doing my job with more committment.

That is what elite athletes contribute to society. They really might not have any unique perspective that the average joe lacks, but their fame lends their quotes to publicity. Sometimes their quotes seem profound, or inspire.

The number of women in the trials is vastly out weighed by the number of women in the national average. Of course that will skew the percentages.

College is the breeding ground for US Olympians. That is our culture. You aren't pointing out some mystery of the ages by googling facts Jag. A college degree doesn't make you ready for the real world---ask any number of new grads as the get spit out into the working world--fresh degree in hand--with no work experience.

I also agree with some of the statements the Paint is making. While it might be nice to live the lifestyle of an elite runner, it is a selfish one that often gets painted with rose-colored glasses. Once that lifestyle ends--as it eventually must, I wonder how if the elites are left slightly stunted in their experiences in the real world.

Doing "something else on the side" can help some elite athletes and hinder others. Bottom line, if you commit to doing something, you should do it well...not as an obsession, not in a way that hurts others, but in a way the you make the most of a gift you have been given.

Elite athletes may not cure cancer, but they can give inspiration to others struggling by being an object lesson of perseverance and courage. Think of how many people diagnosed with cancer have hope because they know Lance Armstrong's story. Elite athletics gives a stage for others to watch courage unfold, whether it be from the winner of the race or an elite struggling to finish on an off day, persevering to the end.

Lance Armstrong may be providing inspiration NOW but was he knowingly and intentionally providing inspiration to cancer victims before his own experience? No. He wasn't. And that's okay too. He's not obligated to be contributing or inspirational just cause he's got talent.

Elite athletes contribute entertainment. Oh. And they also show how hot your body can look if you work real hard and have the proper fitting Under Armor.

A college degree makes you a heck of a lot more 'marketable' and more likely to earn a higher paycheck, as compared to the rest of the 75% of the population. Not to forget the discipline and determination it takes being an athlete and carrying that over into the real world. Have you looked at the professions of the 140+ qualifiers? They certainly aren't lacking in work experience, and if anything appear to be highly driven towards success in other aspects of life! It would be an oversight for anyone to jump into the real-world without some sort of work experience. As such, internship programs are becoming increasingly prevalent, along with professional schools. It certainly doesn't hurt that one's athletic potential can be used to pay for all or part of their education.

Fine. However, let's try defining the difference between give and take, and then applying it to the original question. A plastic surgeon is in practice to make money. They will perform the surgery, for a fee. The person having surgery will feel better when the surgery is a success and worse if the surgery is botched. The "active" contribution by the doctor is the same (the surgery). In either case, however, the motivation for the doctor was not to "contribute" to ther persons emotional state, it was to perform a job for a fee.

Given that a contribution should take an active role, what do elite athletes contribute to society?

Had the original question been "What affects do elite athletes have on society?", then a lot of the answers make more sense.

Okay, I get what you're saying here: basically "contribute" means "give," and you're assuming that "giving" is inherently active and intentional.

I think you're argument is way too caught up in semantics. Let's say I got plastic surgery, and then made the statement "Dr. Surgeon has given me hope again--now I'm not so butt ugly that no one will date me." Is my statement incorrect, even if Dr. Surgeon didn't INTEND to give me this hope? I don't think so.

But if you want to play the semantic game, let's look at one of the other entries under "contribute" in Webster's: "to play a significant part in bringing about an end or result." I think that definition basically makes the questions "What do elite athletes contribute to society" and "what affects do elite athletes have on society" the same.

Furthermore, by your logic I'm not sure that athletes contribute entertainment, either. Most elite athletes--maybe I'm just thinking of runners here, but I think this is more expansive--do not actively intend to entertain the masses. They intend to win, and we "take" entertainment in their struggles to win. If you see it differently, feel free to enlighten you, but it seems to me that if we extend your logic, athletes contribute nothing at all society.

Okay, that should be feel free to enlighten ME. Obviously I need to sleep more.

I think the OP is thinking about runners..otherwise why would they come to a running board..right?

I repeat:

Elite athletes contribute to the well-being of society by merely competing and representing their State, County or even the whole country.

People like to cheer for their local sports teams, or enjoy watching US athletes competing in the Olympics against other nations.

Think of what society would be missing if you didn't have elite athletes??

Some people think this would be a good thing, but arguably, we as a society want these athletes to train hard and represent us on the sports fields so that we can say that 'our' sporting representative beat 'your' sporting representative.

Admit it, you all love seeing Team USA beating up on Team Canada in Hockey, or Cuba in baseball, or China in Basketball, or Jamaica in sprints.

deeper

math teacher wrote:

But if you want to play the semantic game, let's look at one of the other entries under "contribute" in Webster's: "to play a significant part in bringing about an end or result." I think that definition basically makes the questions "What do elite athletes contribute to society" and "what affects do elite athletes have on society" the same.

Okay, on further reflection, I've realized that this definition only applies to "contribute" as an intransitive verb. But I still think you're defining the word too rigidly, and that it can still encompass unintended contributions.

Rather than the more common quote from Prefontaine about "sacrificing the Gift", which to me is somewhat negative in the emphasis on duty, I prefer the quote where he says that a race is a work of art that can be appreciated on as many levels as the watcher can comprehend. This is holding running up to the higher standard of art, which challenges the viewer to go as deep as possible to understand the moment and meaning of what living is.

When one lives their life intensely and with great sensitivity, as any great athlete or artist does, then at their best they convey to those of us who are not so gifted a level of eloquence of experience that is not easily accesible in other arenas. To see the childlike joy, the struggles and frustrations, and the excellence of purposelessness inherent in a race or a painting or a song is to part the curtain of routine and mediocrity to another way of living.

Well put! I could not agree more. You hit the nail on the head in explaining perhaps what we all sense about the beauty of athletics in general.

agreed!

[quote]Pamela Anderson's Left Nipple wrote:

you've been served, Clown.

]

Middle Professor wrote:

So are skills in logic. This argument is akin to stating that you don't contribute to the economy when you buy a pair of running shoes.

Professor of what? Idiocy?

If I buy running shoes, WITH AN EXCHANGE OF MONEY FOR GOODS OR SERVICES, then of course I have contributed to the economy.

Please explain to me how an elite athlete performing their given sport contributes, which is an active verb, inspiration to others. I reiterate, ad nauseum, that inspiration is something that is taken, not something that can be contributed.

I'd also like an explanation as to how you came up with your twisted logic regarding inspiration vs. running shoes. Simply mind numbing...